Life, 1893-08-24 · page 6 of 16
Life — August 24, 1893 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 118 **Main Content:** This page features "An Open Letter to Evadne Galbraith," addressing the author of a book about women's rights. The letter sarcastically critiques English feminism by having an American woman defend traditional gender roles. **The Satire:** The anonymous author mocks both English suffragette ideology and American women who might adopt it. She argues American women shouldn't fight for expanded rights because they already enjoy advantages—and marriage to "wicked men" they'd need to reform isn't worth the effort. The satire targets the disconnect between English feminist activism and American women's reported contentment with domestic arrangements. **Social Context:** This reflects early 20th-century debates over women's suffrage and rights, positioning American female "contentment" against British feminist agitation. The right-side photograph shows children at Life's Farm during a meal—illustrating the magazine's charitable work.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
OUR FRESH AIR FUND. Les ideas of courtesy are distinct and he dishkes to comment on the appetites of his guests, but he feels there is no harm in congratulating him- self on the incredible disappearance of food among his summer visitors. Mr. Parsons, the superintend- ent, tells them to sit up straight at table, as they can hold more. This seems to act as a stimulus to appetites already larger than the proprietors them- selves. Now there is an unbroken rule at Lire's Farm that every child shall have all he wants of any dish that is served. The result is that individual children have eaten eight plates of pea soup, which, by the way, is a favorite article. And the disappear- ance of six plates of pork and beans into one small interior creates no surprise. they are good big helpings, too, These achi And ements are exclusive of the regular sup- ply of bread and butter, milk and whatever else is served at the same meal. One hundred quarts of milk are served at every breakfast and at every supper to the two hundred children, goes with a celerity that is terrifyiag to the looker on, Previously acknowledged... C.V.. Proceeds of an entertainment given by Master Henry B. Weise and Master Stephen P. $3,950.96 Weed of East Ora 2.80 w.s. M, 9:35 Eleanor Keyes. ‘30 Agnes, Keyes. Three inte gir and Carol. Marjorie and B.. Baltimore, Md ra S. Giflors . Proceeds of an ¢ t the Farragut House, Rye Beach, under the ‘auspices of len, T. Cable 3 Edith Washburn A Friend, Burl In the name of a little chi fertory at camp Sunday, Aug. 6th, Camp Suna: Rafael, Cal.: Pepi. C Sam, Sadie, Art Jack’ Lihenthal, and Adele Mack Sister Mary. Contributed "by “Baby e Ziegfeld and 48 guests at the Peninsula and Octagon Hotels, Seabright, N. J : In memory of J HOW.R For Colinette’s Marjory Yoxall George H Proceeds of a Lemonade and Cake ‘sale by Nellie Nellis and May It is hard to tell what they like best as “everything goes "—and it $25.00 > bby the following children at San AT LIFE’S FARM. THE BOYS WASHING BEFORE DINNER. approve. We are the meekest sheep in the * world. We scorn your independent, outspoken American women; we think them bold and un- 888838e $4.555-36 AN OPEN LETTER TO EVADNE GALBRAITH. (Apropos of “ The Heavenly Twins,” by Madam Sarah Grand.) AR MADAM: As the heroine of a book about which England has been talking for s ‘al months, ave, no doubt, by this time gauged English opinion in regard to your advanced views about the rights of women, But the American view must be rather vague to you, because here, and more by reason of your aloofness from our sym- pathies in such questions. I know that, with your strong wish to look on Truth squarely, you will pardon a very ex- plicit, statement of the causes which will operate to keep American women out of accord with your views as inter- preted by Madam Grand in he Heavenly Twins.” 1 think that your friend Mfrs. AMalcomson expressed very tersely this feeling of “ difference” when she said with some indignation : “Oh, yes, we have our reward, we Englishwomen. We re- ligiously obey our men. We do nothing of which they dis- womanly, and do all we can to be as unlike them as possible. And what happens? Do our men adore us? Well, they continue to say so. But it is the Americans they marry.” If you will pardon a blunt statement of it, I think you will find that it is this very “difference” which will incline the American girl to be amused at your warmth about certain rights for women, rather than be stirred up to join you ina crusade for them. She will toss her pretty head and say with accustomed frankness : “Bless you, dear Madam, why should we organize to make a fight for these rights, when we have them already without the asking ? Of course American girls do marry the kind of wicked men whom you preach against—and very often But then, you know, we don’t do it from ignorance or because we have been educated in a corral. Dear no! We either tind the men interesting, or they have a tide or some position that we want to share with them. Our eyes are open, and we know what we want, and generally get it. Sometimes we find that we have made a bad bar- gain. Of course, that is a part of the risk of the game. But if we do, we follow the example of our American fathers when they have been caught by a bad bargain—we speculate in futures in the hope of making things come outeven, Few American girls stake all their life on love and marriage; we they are Englishmen. comicbooks.com